Les Dennis

Profession: TV Presenter
Place/Date of Birth: Liverpool, Lancashire, 12 October 2020
Assiociated with: Amanda Holden

Les Dennis to be a father again at 53 - Oct 17 2007
Les Dennis is to be a father again, it has been confirmed, as it emerged the TV star is engaged to his girlfriend .

Life coach Claire Nicholson, 36, the TV funnyman’s girlfriend of two years, is due to give birth in April.

A friend of the couple said they got engaged two months ago, adding: "They are very happy."

The marriage will be the third for former Family Fortunes host Les, 53.

He was wed to actress Amanda Holden for seven years before splitting in 2002 following her fling with Men Behaving Badly actor Neil Morrissey.

Les also has a son Philip, 26, by his first wife, Lynne, a psychotherapist. The couple divorced in 1990 after 16 years together.

Amanda now has a daughter Alexa, 21 months, with her producer fiance, Chris Hughes.

Les famously appeared on Celebrity Big Brother as his marriage to Amanda fell apart, sparking concern by talking to the chickens.

But his career received a boost after he poked fun at himself on the Ricky Gervais show Extras, hitting the bottle after finding his 26-year-old fiancee is cheating on him.

The star, currently on tour in the 18th century farce The Servant Of Two Masters, met Claire at a ball for Laura Sadler, the Holby City actress who fell to her death from a balcony.

The couple said of the pregnancy: "We are delighted."

Les Dennis presents In The Grid - October 06
Les Dennis has returned to the gameshow format four years after leaving Family Fortunes. The once unlucky comedian has proved that he still has what it takes by taking the helm in a show that, it is rumoured, could rival Noel Edmonds’ Deal Or No Deal.

In The Grid is broadcast on Five in the popular 6:30pm spot and is the brainchild of Initial West, one of the Endemol stable. With big money prizes (single contestants have won over £50,000 with the potential to take home even more) the show, although yet to make an impact, could prove to be a sleeper hit for Les.

Les Dennis joins line up for Ricky Gervais’ show. - March 05
Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Ben Stiller, Samuel L Jackson…and Les Dennis. It seems an odd combination, but the papers are telling us it’s all true – Les is joining Hollywood’s elite for a bit part in Ricky Gervais’ latest project, Extras. The sitcom which follows the life of a film extra will see Les and his fellow stars playing themselves.

Les speaks - August 04
Les Dennis has broken his silence over his marriage to Amanda Holden.

The presenter, who split with Amanda after her affair with Neil Morrissey spoke for the first time about his marriage, saying that the highly publicised affair left him gripped by paranoia and that he lost it as the five year partnership broke down. "I felt angry and cuckolded." Les explained before defended accusations that Amanda had only married him to help her career.

Les Dennis in new drama - 17/07/03
Comedian and actor Les Dennis is set to star in a new ITV1 drama.

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Biography

Born on October 12 1954, Leslie Dennis Heseltine hails from that leading provider of entertainment personnel, Liverpool. Les began his comedy career in the 1980s, with appearances on Russ Abbot’s Madhouse, it was during this time he hooked up with impressionist Dustin Gee, forming a moderately successful double act with their own television specials and headline appearances. However, when Gee died in 1986 the future of Les’ career looked in doubt. The Les Dennis Laughter Show and a permanant guest spot with Russ Abbot followed while the host’s job on Central’s Family Fortunes secured Les a place in cheesey televisual history. The job would last an incredible fifteen years.

Les married young actress Amanda Holden in 1995 but despite seeming the happy TV couple it was revealed in 2000 that Amanda was having an affair with Neil Morrissey. The couple tried to patch their marriage up but following Les’ tabloid-worthy appearance on Celebrity Big Brother (he came second to Mark Owen but showed signs of a break down) they announced that they were to split. Les and Amanda divorced in 2003.

It looked as though things were all but over for Les, his marriage had collapsed, he was no longer presenting the game show that had endeared him to a nation and the tabloids were hungry for details of every part of his life - not out of concern but so that they could jeer at his delicate state. However, the offer of a part in Ricky Gervais’ Extras provided the ideal opportunity for Les. Playing himself Les made several jokes about his flailing career and played on his reported depression - the half hour appearance made the outof work comedian a hero once again.

Since the Extras appearance Les has played serious roles on television, including a one off part in The Bill and now presents In The Grid, a rival to Deal or No Deal, for Five. He has also returned to the stage in Marlon Brando’s Corset. Things ae certainly looking up for the man once known for nothing more than a Mavis Riley impression.
updated January 2007

October 2007

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